Beautiful Burden
by SpectacleBecktacle
Summary: AU. James and Lily Potter help defeat Voldemort and live to raise their two children. Follows Harry as he falls head over heals for his best mates sister, and struggles with his own overprotective brotherly impulses. HP/GW
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Hi all! This is my first story, I just wanted to make a fic where Harry has a normal-ish life and still finds happiness! Please let me know what you think I'd appreciate any reviews! And of course I own nothing and can't hold a candle to the amazing genius that created the world of Harry Potter. Enjoy!**

"Harry! How on earth could you have hidden this from me! I thought we the cool kind of siblings who don't hide the biggest greatest secret of all time from each other!" Harry smirked at his sister's excited outrage and began to polish his new broom on the step of their front porch. "For the past 3 years you've just been crowing about your shmancy school but you couldn't be bothered to tell me that it's a school for witchcraft!"

"Sorry Lizzie mum and dad made my promise not to tell, it was for your own good-" It was the day before they left for Eliza's first year of Hogwarts. A few weeks ago Eliza got an acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizarding. This naturally lead to a long conversation with their parents where she found out that not only was she was a witch, basically everyone she knew was magical, that there was a whole magical world that'd been hidden from her all her life, and the fact that her parents were like rockstars in said world. It was a little much to take in. He knew because he had a similar experience two years ago when he turned 11. Turns out, his dad was not your ordinary cop he was an auror who had been a lead member in the order that defeated the most evil wizard of all time. No biggie.

"Yeah yeah mom and dad already gave me that bogus lecture about not wanting to raise us in the limelight or whatever. But you're my older brother, when I'm not annoying you to death you should've found a clever way to let it slip. Now you only have yourself to blame when I start telling all your friends about how you did ballet until you were 10."

Harry gritted his teeth and seethed, "For the last time, I only did that because mum didn't want you to have to dance alone, and don't think I've forgotten about how you wrote all those love letters to Justin Beiber."

"Oi! Knock it off you two, you'll have plenty of time to battle it out once you have a proper audience at Hogwarts."

Eliza and Harry Potter turned from their budding argument to see the man who was basically a second father to them stride over to the porch from the spot he presumably just apparated to.

"Snuffles!" Eliza squealed as she ran into the arms of her favorite adult. Sirius spun her twice and set her down.

"Congratulations lil Liz, now you can get to know how much funner I am than your parents! I was always against the whole raise 'em muggle idea, now that you got your wand I'll show ya a few ways to jinx your brother, or any Slytherins that give you trouble," Sirius beamed in excitement.

"Fantastic, Slytherins will be after my sister from day one." Harry frowned as the thought occurred to him.

"What's a slither-in?" Eliza asked cautiously. Harry rolled his eyes, his sister was going to need a lot of protecting.

* * *

Nearly five years later Harry, now a 6th year was starting to realize that Slytherins picking on his baby sister wasn't what he needed to worry about, it was the blokes. His sister was as beautiful as his mother except with long dark wavy hair rather than auburn locks like his mother. Needless to say, Harry had a lot of pressure from his father, Sirius, and Professor Lupin (he wasn't allowed to call him Moony at school) to protect Eliza from the entire male species. Harry's best mate Ron was struggling with the same situation.

"It's like she goes out of her way to date the slimiest git in school!" Ron complained right before he stuffed an entire chicken leg into his mouth.

"Ugh Ronald, would it kill you to close your mouth when you inhale your food?" Hermione groaned in disgust.

"If he did that he might forget to breathe, with all the energy he's using to remember to chew." Harry retorted.

With a pop a clean drumstick dropped to Ron's plate. "Fer da smertest gerl 'n schoo id's like oo don' e'en 'isten," Ron swallowed with a large gulp, "My sister, my bloody sister, is dating Dean Thomas! It's like she's got no respect for anything, do you realize that when they break up it going to ruin our chances for the cup? Ginny so spiteful she won't pass the quaffle to him, and Dean will play like trash because I'm going to jinx him myself. At least Harry's sister has enough sense to not date a fellow member of the quidditch team! Gin's going to ruin us all"

"Got that right." Harry muttered. Hermione gave him a quick knowing look before rolling her eyes and poking at her potatoes. Harry's sister was the same year as Ginny and just as popular; however, if she was seeing someone she was doing a good job at keeping it quiet. Last time Eliza Potter had a boyfriend Harry threatened to kick her off her spot as beater for the Gryffindor team and may have slipped a dung bomb in the bloke's book bag before his potions class. He was only slightly ashamed of sinking so slow, but honestly what had Lizzie seen in that snooty Ravenclaw prick.

"I mean someone ought to talk to her, get her to see reason. For the sake of the team, ya know?" Ron glanced between Harry and Hermione with a pleading look. "She won't listen to me I'm her brother but she might yeh know, take advice from her girl friend or a concerned captain?"

"No, no, absolutely not. I will not abet your pathetic attempts to be overbearing and oppressive." Hermione crossed her arms with a finality.

Shit, I guess it's up to me, Harry thought. He definitely did not want Dean and Ginny to continue seeing each other but he was less concerned about the well being of his team and probably more involved than he should be in his mates little sister's love life. He'd really started to notice her this year during tryouts because as captain he had to pick out the best talent. He'd certainly noticed Ginny's grace on the pitch… and everywhere else he saw her. But honestly, how would he feel if Ron started thinking Liz had the most heart wrenching smile he'd ever seen. Or that she was clever, and funny, and kind, and strong, and ambitious, and gorgeous, and everything that made his gut twist and his heart hammer. That would be wrong, so so SO wrong, to feel about a mate's sister. Not that he would know anything about that.. He was just worried about the team right? "I'll do it, for the team's sake."

"Oh thank Merlin, I'd do it myself but since you volunteered," Ron started in on a pile of pumpkin pasties while Hermione sighed and shook her head, "Just watch out Gins got a wicked bat boogey curse when she gets a temper."

* * *

The next quidditch practice Harry called Ginny and Dean aside to talk about the consequences of their relationship on his quidditch team. He thought about just having a one on one with Ginny but he was afraid if it was just the two of them she'd accuse him of saying she couldn't handle a inter-quidditch team relationship, which he very much hoped she could, just not with Dean. This way there was joint blame, wait, maybe he should have just talked to Dean and avoid Ginny's wrath entirely! Too late to correct himself they both landed next to him as the rest of the team started to head in.

"Good work today guys," Harry wanted to be optimistic before he dropped this bombshell but realized too late that that angle would only contradict what he was about to say. Ginny and Dean nodded expectantly not accustomed to being pulled aside to be praised, Harry was always honest with the team. He mentally cringed and began again "Err, but I think that this isn't working…"

Ron lingered on the pitch to wait for Harry a ways behind Ginny and Dean and gave him two thumbs up. Ginny glanced over her shoulder to see what had caught Harry's attention and turned back to him with a narrowed eyes.

"I'm starting to break in that new broom nicely don't you think Harry?" Ginny crossed her arms as she suspected this wasn't about the new school brooms McGonagall had purchased for the Gryffindor team. They weren't as flashy as the Nimbus 2001 Malfoy's father had bought to bribe his son a spot on the team but they were better than the beat up school brooms the first years learned on.

"Er-ah no, you're riding the stick just fine," Dean's smug face and Ginny's outraged look made Harry realize what he'd just said, "OH uh no that's not what I meant! I mean that your ball handling skills haven't suffered," Ginny's eyes bulged out of her head and Dean began to snicker uncontrollable. "AH NO I-I just mean y-you fly, you fly good still!" Harry stammer out pathetically.

"Harry if your finished babbling like an idiot I'd like to leave before I send my quidditch captain to the hospital wing with a oversize tongue." Her icey glare left Harry nodding helplessly. Dean's snickering was quickly silenced with the same gaze. "Common Dean, I think Harry's been flying too high looking for the snitch, we better give him time to recover his senses." With that Ginny stormed off with a smirking Dean in tow.

Harry stared wistfully after them. How could that have gone so wrong? What the hell was thinking? He's never going to listen to another brilliant idea of Ron's ever ag- "OUCH, bloody hell Ron what's that for?"

Ron punched him in the arm again before responding, "Really, you have to ask? Not only did you ruin my one way to get Ginny away from Dean but you called my sister a ball handler! Prat!" he exclaimed with another landing punch to the arm.

"Honestly Ron I didn't mean it like that!"

"Yeah well Hermione said one of the prefects caught Eliza snogging that Ravenclaw git in a broom closet last week."

"GAHH shut it, arse."

"Prick."

Harry sighed, "Come on lets go figure out a way to make sure our sisters aren't disgracing our families." Together they silently trudged up to the castle burdened with thoughts of their beautiful sisters who didn't want their interference.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Hi! A giant thank you to Professor McGonagal for reviewing you made my day! In hindsight it probably wasn't the best idea to start a story the same week as 2 midterms and a term paper but I found that writing this fan fic was a nice break from organic chemistry! Without further ado,**

"Harry? Oi. Mate! Whatcha looking at?" Ron followed Harry's gaze down the table to where Eliza and Ginny were sitting with their friends doing what appeared to be a hilarious reenactment of Flitch and Mrs. Norris after Fred and George had managed to transfigure Mrs. Norris into a howling toddler with whiskers and a tail. Harry smiled as Ginny imitated Flinch's uncomfortable soothing of his newly transfigured cat before locking her into a closet and running to Dumbledore to fix her. Having witnessed the event, Harry couldn't help but compare the transfigured Mrs. Norris to Hermione after she accidently put cat hair in her polyjuice potion instead of Pansy Parkinson's hair. It turned out better that Hermione didn't help Harry and Ron prank the Slytherin common room or else Malfoy would've snogged her instead of the real Parkinson. Harry really didn't know how they would've gotten out of that mess-

"Marcus Belby's staring at your sister again."

Ron's words snapped Harry out of his nostalgia, and his eyes jerked away from Ginny to the Ravenclaw table where he scowled at Marcus Belby. He was the arse Harry assumed Eliza had secretly been seeing since the dungbomb incident.

"How did I let this happen?" Harry groaned and stabbed potato disgruntledly.

"I told you all that tutoring nonsense was just a slimy way to get after her."

"Well maybe if you weren't hogging Hermione's help Eliza wouldn't have resorted to asking him!"

"Don't blame this on me mate, what's he pretty boy 'tutoring' her in anyway?" Ron asked with finger quotes.

"Gehhh don't even imply that. I think it's potions."

"Nah that's not right, for some weird reason Snape adores Lizzie, Ginny says it's disgusting."

"Do you think I should tell my dad? Or Snuffles? Or Moony? Or would that just make me the son-who-failed-them?"

"I think it's Eliza's wrath you got to worry about. She's puts the aggressive in passive aggressive."

"Maybe I should just stay out of it. She'll tell me when she's ready right?"

At that moment Harry looked up only to witness his very own sister do the patented 'Sirius smirk-n-wink combo' directed at none other than Marcus Belby. Harry gagged on his lunch. Nope, no way in hell was he letting this go on one more day.

* * *

Harry paced in the entrance hall waiting for his sister to finish lunch. He was sure Professor Lupin would support his reason for being late to Defense Against the Dark Arts and didn't want to make a scene with his sister in front of the whole school about something like this. So when she emerged from the hall engaged in a conversation with Ginny and Luna Lovegood, Harry felt comfortable getting her attention.

"Hey Lizzie, come 'mere I got a letter from mum today and she wants me to, um, give you, er, something." Harry finished lamely, quickly losing investment in his lie. Luna waved goodbye to Eliza and Ginny, and the pair began to make their way over to Harry.

"Shouldn't you go to class too Gin, wouldn't want you to-" be here for this, hate me, think this applies to you to, "be late."

"Thanks for your concern about my attendance record Harry but Liz and I have Charms together next. Besides, I thought you already learned from the Yule Ball that girls don't go anywhere by themselves."

"Yeah but you're not like Cho Chang, you don't need anyone to hold your hand, you're more -" beautiful, funny, intelligent, daring, witty, breathtaking, "ah, independent."

Ginny smirked at Harry knowingly, "Nevertheless this will only take a minuet right?"

"Oh yeah, um right," Harry muttered as his gaze fell on his sister and his reason for calling her over . Eliza looked annoyed and dug her fingers into the textbook she held against her chest.

"Oh you've finally noticed I'm here have you? No hello Lizzie, how nice to see you. Sorry to bother you in the middle of the day but I just want to make you late for no reason."

Noticing her mood and the unexpected visitor Harry grunted, "Nevermind, just go to class Liz I wouldn't want you to need any more tutoring."

"I'm already late as it is so get on with it!"

"Okay, well…" Harry glanced at Ginny and took a deep breath before saying, "Ron told me, that Hermione told him, that Parvati told her, that her sister Padma, you know the Ravenclaw prefect, well she told her that when she was on patrol she caught you and Belby snogging in a broom closet."

Ginny bit her lower lip and her eyes sparkled as she bit back laughter. Eliza, was not amused. She shifted her textbook to one hand and put the other pointedly on her hip. She was a carbon copy of their mother, except with dark hair of course. After a moment of awkward silence Eliza cocked one eyebrow and flippantly replied, "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand?"

Harry gulped, this was the same stance his mother took whenever he'd done something wrong and tried to make excuses. Maybe it was the reaction to feeling like a five year old, maybe he'd just had a change of heart, maybe it was because Ginny was watching him expectedly with that mischievous glint. Regardless the cause, Harry said something none of them expected.

"I'm sorry."

Eliza raised both brows in shock and glanced sideways at Ginny to confirm she'd heard that right. When Ginny looked back equally confused Eliza tentatively asked, "For what?"

Harry sighed and ruffled his hair, a nervous habit he'd picked up from his father despite his mother's best attempts to break him of it. "For not being a good enough brother I suppose. You're smart, and you're strong willed, and I know you can take care of yourself but, well, you're still my baby sister! It's just, odd, to see you grow up. I want you to be happy, I really do, with ya know, whoever makes you happy. You shouldn't have to hide your boyfriend from me. Long as he treats you right, he shouldn't have to worry about too much harassment from me," he added with a grin, "dad and Snuffles will take care of that."

"Harry. James. Potter. That has to be the nicest most loving thing you have ever said to me." Eliza cooed as she embraced her brother but as she let go she started to giggle, "But Belby and I were never really dating, it's all just one big misunderstanding!" Ginny seemed to be in on the joke because she was clutching her stomach and shaking with silent laughter.

"That night that Padma only saw us leaving the broom closet, we hadn't been snogging, we were practicing. Although I suppose Marcus hasn't actually come out of the closet yet, no worries he will soon enough he was going to try this weekend in Hogsmeade actually!"

"What? He was just at lunch, you 'Sirius smirk-n-winked' at him!"

"Well Harry, there's this expression for when gay people tell other people that they're gay, it's called coming out of the closet, and it can be quite the ordeal really," Ginny relpied cheekily between her fits of laughter.

"It really is!" Eliza nodded, "Here's the thing, I sorta picked up on it when he was tutoring me for Ancient Runes, so when I asked him who he thought the cutest guy in Hogwarts and got some nail care tips from him was he asked me to help him come out to his friends. I told him that if their real friends, a) they probably already know, and b) they're obviously still his friend so there's nothing to worry about!"

"You take Ancient Runes?"

"Yes Harry do try to keep up, anyway he still was nervous I was helping him practice and I thought literally walking out of a closet would be a fun way to ease his mind and build confidence."

"But, I thought you two were dating that time—"

"The time you threatened to kick me off the team and dung bombed him, yeah I remember and you're still not forgiven. For the last time holding hands with someone in Hogsmeade doesn't mean you're dating and even if I was dating some bloke it certainly does not warrant getting kicked off the team!"

"Someone SAW you two canoodling!"

"What gay guy's aren't allowed to experiment," Ginny started cheekily, "WAIT did you just say _canoodling?_"

"Not now Gin! Honestly Harry do you believe everything you hear!"

"Harry just said canoodling. That's the funniest thing I've heard all week!"

"Mr. Potter. Miss Potter, Miss Weasley." Ginny started coughing to hide her laughter at the sight of Professor Snape looming over them. "What, may I enquire, are the three of you doing outside of class?"

"Good afternoon Professor, Harry was giving me my Charms book, mum, you know our mum, well I forgot it at home during the break and she sent to him on accident. She's been a bit hair brained ever since her and dad started having troubles. You wouldn't punish us for our mother's misfortune would you?" Eliza pouted her lip to Snape and blinked innocently. Harry's jaw dropped.

The corner of Snape's mouth twitched before he quickly said, "And you needed Miss Weasley to accompany you why?"

"She was comforting me about all the fighting my parents do. I reckon they'll split soon and I just don't know I can handle it alone." Eliza sniffed in fake tears, Ginny soothingly patted her back and nodded to Snape. Harry openly gaped.

"Pity, Lily could do so much better. Do send her my regards Miss Potter. Off to class now."

The three students immediately started up the stairs before Snape could remember to deduct house points or assign detentions. When they were out of ear shot Harry finally broke out of his shock, "Mum and dad haven't had a real spat in years."

"Snape doesn't know that." Eliza grinned mischievously, "Honestly Harry you've got to learn how to play the game."

"So that's how you've never had a hard time from Snape!"

"Well it's a delicate balance, if she goes too far with it and Snape might send your mum a love letter and the whole scheme will be ruined!" Ginny remarked.

"Well I'd love to stay and chat more about our parent's imaginary disputes but we really ought to get to class now." Eliza said as she hooked arms with Ginny and steered them down the corridor only pausing to look over her shoulder and shout, "Oh and Harry since you're soooo understanding Collin Creevey is taking me to Hogsmeade this weekend! I'm so excited I'm pretty sure some _canoodling_ is going to happen!" With a wink Eliza disappeared around the corner tugging Ginny along with her, both in stitches with laughter.

**A/N Please review! I want to know what you think, thanks for reading :)**


	3. Chapter 3

All was quiet in the Gryffindor tower at 6 am on the Saturday of the Hogsmeade trip. Colin Creevey was peacefully dreaming about negatives, dark rooms, and magical photos techniques while Harry and Ron crept downstairs to his dormitory.

"Why'd we have to do this so early again?" Ron whispered sleepily.

"Jimmy Cootes said that Colin was an early riser so we have to beat him up."

"Wait, I thought we were just going to feed him a Puking Pastille not hurt the kid." Ron replied groggily.

"That's not what I meant Ron." Harry let out a yawn and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Let's get this over with and go back to bed."

"So what exactly are we doing?"

"Do you still have that Cauldron Cake you keep in your pocket?"

"Yeah, even though it's been a while and I know she's a bit beat up, I just can't bring myself to toss out a perfectly good Cauldron Cake."

"You couldn't bring yourself to eat it either so why keep it?"

"Sentiment."

Harry snorted, "Right. Well give it to me I'll put the Puking Pastille in it and put it on his night stand. We'll leave a note that says it's from Eliza, Colin will eat it out of politeness."

"That's brilliant mate! But what if I get really hungry and I reach into my pocket and don't have my comforting Cauldron Cake?"

"Obviously that doesn't happen often because you've had it in your pocket getting mashed up and stale for the past three months."

"Well actually it happens a lot, but when I take out the cake it reminds me that I'm not _that_ hungry… yet. But what if I did get that hungry Harry?"

"I think you'd die of starvation before you ever got that hungry." Harry laughed.

"Then what makes you think Colin will eat it?"

"If a girl sent you a Cauldron Cake before a date would you eat it? Wait never mind you'd eat it even if Pansy Parkison gave it to you."

"Course I would, I would never commit Cauldron Cake cruelty; sweets are made to be devoured." Ron replied seriously.

"Ron, as you're best mate, I'm asking you to give up your precious pocket buddy for the cause. I'd gladly help you with whatever idea you come up with to split Dean and Gin, so just… please?" Harry pleaded impatiently.

"Okay, just let me say goodbye," Ron responded with a sigh. He proceeded to fish out the offending sweet, sniff it longingly and reluctantly handed it to Harry only to snatch it back. Before Harry could open his mouth to protest Ron's ridiculousness Ron ripped open the wrapper and spit on it. Harry gaped at it wordlessly with a look that said 'What the hell was that!'

Ron answered the unasked question with a smirk, "She was so stale, I thought I'd moisten her up a bit, we can always repair the wrapper after we add the pill." Harry slowly grinned as Ron held out the cake to him, "Your turn."

* * *

When Harry and Ron finally got up for the second time that morning they meandered down to the great hall for breakfast. Hermione was sitting next to Seamus and chatting across the table to Ginny; while Dean and Seamus argued about exploding snap strategies. Ginny was holding Dean's hand, a detail Harry picked up on instantly as he deliberately sat a little too close to Ginny.

"Mornin' 'Mione" Ron mumbled as he slid in next to her.

"Don't you think you ought to have combed your hair before breakfast it's almost as bad as Harry's." Hermione remarked.

"Hey! You know I can't help its hereditary!" Harry scoffed defensively.

"That's for sure, it's too bad your sister didn't get your mum's hair. I watched her try to wrangle those locks one morning and with my hair experience I thought I could help but even magic can't contain the Potter disheveled hair." Hermione said glumly.

"I think it adds character," Ginny said thoughtfully, "On Mr. Potter it looks mischievous, on Eliza is looks wild and dangerous, sexy in the you'll never know what I'll do next kind of way."

"And on me?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

Ginny bit her lower lip and hesitated before replying, "Your mop always makes you look like you just fell off a broom."

"Oh." Harry couldn't help but feel disappointed. Ginny said his sister had sexy hair and his was just windblown.

"Well, not to distract from this intellectually engaging conversation, but do either of you happen to know why Colin vomited on Eliza's shoes this morning?"

Ron and Harry shared a look before simultaneously erupting in laughter.

"On her shoes!"

"Couldn't have planned it better." The pair high-fived enthusiastically over the table.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Really, was the high-five necessary?"

"'Course! We had to wake up early to pull that off, we earned it. Don't cha think Harry?"

"Actually I don't think just one high-five covers it!" as he gave Ron another excited fiver.

Hermione sighed, "I suspected you two were responsible for something like this. When will you stop meddling with Eliza's love life? It's not like any of those blokes did anything to deserve this bullying."

"Common Hermione it's not like Eliza really like any of them so-" Ron was cut off mid sentence by Hermione.

"Well maybe she would if she had time to date them without you dolts interfering!"

"Fine, we promise not to interfere with Colin anymore. Happy? It's not like she'll give him the time of day now that he hurled on her," said Harry in an attempt to pacify Hermione.

Hermione smiled wickedly, "I'm happy to hear that Harry because actually, she took him to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey instantly diagnosed him. Apparently ever since Weasley's Wizarding Wheezing opened in Diagon Alley Flich has been collecting a lot of banned material. Including the Skiving Snackboxes, now Madam Pomfrey has a stock pile of them for situations like this."

"Aww come on! That's not fair, take a perfectly good prank and ruin it." Ron complained before he scooped a pile of eggs into his mouth.

"I'll have to tell Fred and George to send Madam Pomfrey a catalog. It's good for business to sell to more than one customer base." Ginny interjected thoughtfully.

"Yes, well after cleaning themselves up, Eliza and a perfectly healthy Colin came down for breakfast holding hands, by now they're probably starting their lovely date."

"They were rather cute eating breakfast together, I think the whole ordeal brought them closer."

"I agree Ginny, and I think a nice uninterrupted date will make them an item. It's a good thing Harry has promised not to bother Colin anymore." Hermione said smugly before high-fiving Ginny in mockery of a scowling Ron and Harry.

* * *

**A/N I know not a lot happened in this chapter but the next chapter's going to be big! Thanks for reading, please review!**


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